I'll Look After You
by JennyLynn2012
Summary: ONE-SHOT Bonnie Bennett faces the ghost of Jesse, after he refuses to pass over. By helping him, she also helps his sister find peace, and gives Caroline closure... "I was there Annie," Jesse said. "I watched you. And you couldn't even look at our picture. It hurt you too much."... "He's right beside you," Bonnie told Caroline. "He wants to tell you everything you meant to him."


Title Credit: Look After You by The Fray. PS. You should really listen to it while you read this story.

_My name is Bonnie Bennett. I just started college, just moved to a new town. I might be just like you, except for the fact that I am now the anchor to The Other Side. It's a place where supernatural beings go after they die. But for them to get there, they have to pass through me, and leave behind the lives they once knew. _

_In order to tell you my story, I have to tell you theirs._

When I was a witch, nature had a way of balancing the magic I did out. After I brought Jeremy back to life, nature took my life. It was a consequence, and it was worth it. For months, I was stuck on the infamous Other Side. It's like I was still in this world, except I couldn't make contact with anyone. No one could hear me, or feel me, or talk to me. But there was an exception.

Because Jeremy had died, he formed this link with the Other Side. If he wanted to see someone that had passed, and they wanted to see him, then he could. I was able to talk to him like before. He could see me as if I was alive and real. Except when he touched me, I couldn't feel him and he couldn't feel me. I think that was worst part of being dead. In his moments of sorrow and despair, I couldn't hug him or hold his hand.

Over the months of being a ghost, it was plain to see that the guilt of bringing him back was eating away at him. He promised me that he'd find a way to bring me back. Part of me didn't want him to, because I knew there would be a consequence, and I didn't want him to get hurt any more than he already was. However, I also knew in the back of my mind that he wouldn't let me down.

Jeremy, Damon, and Elena were able to come up with a way to bring me back to life, but still be connected to the Other Side. I would become the Anchor. It was a brilliant plan. No one just imagined what the consequence of it would be, no one but me. I mean, did no one think to wonder why Amara wanted to die? She said it herself, she was living in hell. I guess that just proves how much I love my friends and boyfriend. I would go through hell for them.

Anyways, once a supernatural being dies, they find me. They're supposed to pass through me. The whole process is incredibly painful. Basically I feel their death and then it's over. They move on to the Other Side. So far, only two people have passed through me. Jesse was supposed to be the third, but he hasn't shown up yet.

* * *

Tonight is his memorial on campus. It was going be on the field. I was hoping that maybe this was all he needed and then he'd come to me to pass over. I guess I was only half-right. He was there. I could see him walking through the crowd, studying everyone's face. It was as if he was taking his time to appreciate how much he was loved. But he was still so sad.

Eventually, he his eyes made contact with mine, and he realized that I could see him. Slowly, he made his way over to me. He looked so confused, so lost.

"You can see me, can't you?" he asked. I nodded my head. "Why only you?"

"You're supposed to pass through me," I said. "After a supernatural being dies, they pass through the anchor, and go to the other side. I'm the anchor."

"But I'm not ready!" he shouted.

"I understand," I tried reasoning with him. "Believe me I do, because I've been there. But we can't change what happened."

"No!" he breathed out. "I'm not leaving."

Just like that, he disappeared. I was telling the truth about understanding what he's going through. His death was tragic, and possibly unnecessary. He had his whole life ahead of him. In an instant, it was taken away from him.

Once the memorial was over, I followed Elena and Caroline back to the dorm. Caroline was especially silent. I could tell that Jesse's death had really affected her. I mean she finally meets a great guy who is actually present in her life. Then before she can blink, he's gone. It was just so unfair.

I only told Caroline about seeing Jesse. She told me that she wished she would have gotten to know him more, because he was so sweet to her. She wished she hadn't blown him off because of Tyler. He had made her feel more important than Tyler had in a long time. She wished she could have done more to help when he turned into a vampire.

After Elena and Caroline went to bed, I found myself looking out our window. It was peaceful, not a soul in sight. The only sound I could hear was the wind and a few crickets. For a second it reminded me of what it's like to be on the other side, to be so close yet so distant at the same time. I can only imagine how much worse it is before they pass over.

What if I could find a way to help Jesse pass over? Maybe if I could find a family member or someone he loved a lot, and they told him that it was ok to leave, maybe then he'd pass over. I had to try something.

* * *

The next morning, after I got ready, I headed over to Jesse's dorm, in the hopes of talking to Aaron and seeing if he knew of any of Jesse's relatives. However, I was awfully surprised when instead of Aaron answering the door, it was a young girl.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"I'm looking for Aaron," I said hesitantly. "Is he here?"

"No," she sighed. "He left so I could have time to pack up Jesse's things."

"Oh," I said surprised. "Who are you?"

"I'm his sister," she said, "Adopted anyway. And you are?"

"Bonnie Bennett," I said shaking her hand. "I was a friend of Jesse's. I actually came here to ask Aaron if he knew of any of Jesse's relatives. But I guess I found one."

"Do you want to come in?" she asked.

"Sure," I nodded and followed her in. "I'm sorry about your brother. Wait, maybe I shouldn't have said that. I'm sure you've heard it a lot."

"No, it's ok," she sighed. "It's complicated. You don't really want people to bring it up, but then if they don't it's like they've already forgotten about him."

"Were you two close?" I asked.

"We used to be," she nodded. "He always looked out for me, sometimes more than I wanted him to."

"I hope you don't mind me asking," I said. "But how old are you?"

"Eighteen," she said.

"Shouldn't your parents being packing up his stuff?" I asked.

"Our adoptive parents past away about a year ago," she explained. "I'm the only one left that cares enough to do it."

"Well where are you staying now, if you're only eighteen?" I asked curious.

"In a foster home," she said. "When our parents died, Jesse was going to college. He could have taken custody of me, but he didn't think he could handle it with school. Truthfully, I just think he didn't want me around anymore. He was starting a new life, going to college. He was going to make something for himself. But if I was there, I'd screw it all up. So I was put into a foster home. It's not that bad. The couple is nice and they even let me stay with them after I turned eighteen. They knew how much Jesse meant to me, so they let me borrow the truck so I could come and get his stuff. I'm just sorry they never got to meet him."

I could tell she was fighting back tears.

"So why did you want to talk to me?" she asked. "You said earlier that you were looking for a relative of Jesse's."

"This going to sound weird," I said. "And I can't think of a not weird way to say it so I'm just going to do it. I can see ghosts."

"Huh?" she asked confused.

"I know it sounds crazy, believe me," I said. "But I've seen you're brother, his spirit anyways. After someone dies they're supposed to pass over, but sometimes if they have unfinished business their spirit will linger. I just thought that maybe if he was able to see you or talk to you, he'd be able to pass over."

"Oh," she said bitterly. "I get it. I guess I just didn't realize how transparent I am. Losing Jesse has shattered my entire world. It takes someone like you to take advantage of it. Get out of here!"

"I'm not trying to take advantage of you," I shook my head. "I'm just trying to help Jesse find peace in his death."

"What kind of person would do this?" she asked shocked. "What kind of scam is this? What's next? Give you a hundred dollars and you'll send him a message for me! You come into his room and you dishonor his memory with this trick."

"I didn't ask you for anything," I said standing up and heading for the door. "I don't want anything from you. All I'm trying to do is help Jesse."

"Must be great having supernatural powers," she said sarcastically. Then she slammed the door in my face.

"Not really," I said upset.

* * *

"What did you do?" Jesse asked walking up to me. Sighing, I looked around making sure no one could see me talking to thin air.

"I was trying to help you," I said frustrated.

"Well, what did she say?" he asked.

"You mean before or after she slammed the door in my face?" I asked.

"It's not her fault," he defended her. "She's hurting, because everyone she's ever known has left her. I would know, because I did to."

"Yeah, she told me that," I sighed, calming down. "She said that you couldn't take care of her and go to college, so she went into foster care."

"I did what was best for her," he said turning away.

"She thinks you didn't want her," I noted. "She thought that you thought having her around would screw everything up for you."

"No," he shook his head, and turned back around. "That's wasn't it at all. I wanted her to have a real family. I wanted her to have a mother and father. I didn't want her to have to sacrifice being a teenager. Because she would have had to if she came with me. I couldn't give her everything that foster family could."

"I remember the day I told her that I wasn't going to adopt her," he said. "She was so angry at me. It killed me to see her so heartbroken. I think she still is."

"Do you think maybe that's why you're still here?" I asked. "Because you're afraid she's still mad at you?"

"I just want her to be happy," he nodded.

"If I can get her to talk to you, and tell you that she's ok and that she's not mad at you, will you pass over?" I asked.

"Yes," he nodded.

* * *

The next day I went back to Jesse's room to see his sister. As soon as she opened the door, she sighed and got ready shut the door.

"Please don't slam in the door in my face," I said quickly. "I'm begging you. Just hear me out."

"You have one minute," she sighed.

"Jesse wants you to know that the that the only reason he gave you up, was so that you could have a better life," I said. "He said that you're new foster family could give you more than he could."

"You know what?" she asked. "I really don't have time for this."

"No!" Jesse shouted from beside me. "You have to make her listen."

"He's here," I said. "I can see him and I can hear him. I know what he wants."

"Tell her, that she was in my room, after she found out I was dead," he said.

"You were in his room," I said. "After he died."

"You laid down on my bed and cried into my pillow," he said.

"You were on his bed, crying into his pillow," I repeated.

"You found a picture of us inside my pillow case," he said.

"There was a picture of you two, tucked inside his pillowcase," I said.

"How do you know that?" she breathed.

"I was there, Annie," he said. "I watched you. And you couldn't even look at it. It hurt you too much."

"He was there Annie," I said. "He watched you. He saw how much you were hurting."

"Oh my god, he's really here," she said shakily.

"He's standing right beside you," I nodded.

"You couldn't grieve for me, because you were still angry at me," he said. "But you felt horrible for being angry at me because you were supposed to be grieving me."

"He's saying that you felt guilty for still being angry at him," I interpreted.

"In my heart, I thought I was doing what was best for her," he told me, as he kneeled down next to her. "But she was the one who knew what was best for her all along."

"He said that you always knew what was best for you," I said. "He should have listened to you."

"I was just trying to protect her," he said. "But I realize now that's not what you needed. What you needed was to be with someone you loved who loved you back. I should have known. Material things never mattered to you. All you cared about was being with the people who loved you."

"He loves you," I said. "He always did. He wishes he could go back and change what he did."

"I love him too," she cried. "I love you Jesse. I'm not angry anymore. You were just trying to protect me. I see that now."

"Tell her that I'll never be truly gone," he said. "Tell her that I'll always watch over her."

"He wants you to know that he'll always be close by," I said. "He will always watch over you."

"I love you," he said and hissed her forehead. She gasped and put a hand up to her head.

"Did he just-?" she began.

"That was him," I nodded.

At that moment, I felt I needed to go, and give her sometime alone. So I walked out of the room, with Jesse following me. But just before I shut the door, he gave her one last look and said goodbye.

"Do you think you're ready now?" I asked him after I shut the door.

"I just have one more thing to do," he nodded.

* * *

We were back in my dorm room, and only Caroline was there. Slowly he walked up behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder. Just like Annie, she could sense him.

"Jesse?" Caroline asked softly.

"He's here," I said. "He's right beside you. He has his hand on your shoulder. He wants to tell you everything that you meant to him."


End file.
